


Hello and Goodbye (Josie and Kaidan)

by soldiermom1973



Series: Virmire Survivor [10]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Gen, HELLO AND GOODBYE, Mass Effect Relationships Week, Tumblr Prompt, how josie met kaidan, or something like that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 05:22:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14846603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldiermom1973/pseuds/soldiermom1973
Summary: Josie gets to know Kaidan a little bit better...  enough to know that she's in serious danger of violating Alliance regs.





	Hello and Goodbye (Josie and Kaidan)

**Author's Note:**

> For the [Mass Effect Relationships](http://vorchagirl.tumblr.com/post/161389252811/mass-effect-relationships-week-fanfiction-promps) thing over on tumblr.

The last thing Josie remembered was pulling Kaidan out of the beacon's grip. Instinct told her to save her team, regardless of the danger to herself. She didn't hesitate, didn't flinch, just ran to him, grabbed his waist, and pulled for all she was worth, heaving him to the side. Then she was weightless, her mind being assaulted by images and sounds she couldn't make sense of. Through the chaos in her head, she heard Kaidan shout her name. Then nothing....

Her head hurt. Hell, everything hurt. A familiar voice called for the doctor and relief flooded her system. _At least Kaidan is ok,_ she thought before forcing herself upright. Dr. Chakwas ran her omni-tool along Josie's body and explained how long she was out and that something happened with the beacon.

“It's my fault,” Kaidan quickly added. “I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way.”

Josie gave him a soft smile and said, “You had no way to know what would happen.” She truly didn't blame him. Their training was always about not touching anything which none of them did; and she didn't blame Kaidan for any curiosity he had about the beacon. The only reason she didn't approach it herself was because she wanted to talk to Ash more about what the young woman had witnessed before the Normandy showed up.

What happened next, though, totally caught the commander off guard - Kaidan gave her a shy smile. It was barely noticeable, to be perfectly honest. The left side of his mouth twitched up just enough for his eyes to crinkle and his gaze shifted to the floor. Josie's heart hammered in her chest while the doctor explained that the beacon had blown up. Her mouth went dry when Kaidan talked about a possible system overload and how he and Ash had to carry her back. Her mind instantly filled with pictures of him picking her up and slinging her over his shoulders. Josie was heavier than she looked and with her armor, hoisting her dead weight into a fireman's carry couldn't have been easy. Her train of thought drifted to how well-built the lieutenant must be and was interrupted by the captain walking into the med bay.

Josie tried to not watch Kaidan walk away and found it hard to focus on what Anderson was saying. She didn't know why she was suddenly so eager to talk to Kaidan again. It was stupid and silly and completely against regulations to fraternize but that smile and the way he glanced at her gave her butterflies in a way she hadn't experienced in a long time. She decided that she'd talk to him but she needed to keep it professional – she couldn't allow herself to carry a torch for someone serving alongside her on the Normandy.

When Anderson finally finished, Josie made it a point to walk slower than she wanted to get to the mess area and see Kaidan. She was surprised (and pleased) to see him waiting right outside the door. He was leaning on the wall but pushed himself off and stood at a relaxed parade rest when she approached. She smiled at the idea that he was waiting for her, but quickly pushed her joy aside. If she let it linger, this silly crush she had might turn into something more.

“Commander, I'm glad to see you're ok,” he said, relaxing when she nodded. “Losing Jenkins was hard on the crew and...” He licked his lips and shuffled his feet nervously. “...I'm glad we didn't lose you, too.”

Josie knew she was fighting a losing battle as they talked, rehashing what happened on Eden Prime, each asking tentative questions about the others' past. She couldn't help feeling Kaidan might just like her a little, too. Maybe more than a little. Her resolve crumbled, though, when Kaidan smiled and suggested she head to the bridge and talk to Joker.

In that moment, Josie Shepard understood she was in trouble. That smile made her realize it wasn't a simple infatuation. She barely knew the man but it didn't matter - she was falling for the subordinate who saved her life.


End file.
